“I’m not going in on this”: David Alan Grier Refused to Act in Tom Hanks’ $678M Movie for a Strange Reason That Derailed His Hollywood Career Beyond Repair
Tom Hanks is an established actor in Hollywood. He has been in the acting industry for more than 40 years now, and his movies have generated enormous global box office success. He has received multiple awards including a Tony Award, two Academy Awards, and seven Emmy Awards. He is adored by critics and audiences alike.
Hanks is well-known and adored for his dramatic and humorous performances. He has consistently shown his flexibility as an actor, whether it be in his roles as the single parent Sam Baldwin in the film Sleepless in Seattle or as FBI agent Carl Hanratty in the film Catch Me if You Can.
And it’s difficult to imagine that anyone would ever turn down the chance to work with Tom Hanks’ in a film, isn’t it? However, David Alan Grier did decline to take on a role in a Tom Hanks film that earned $678 million at the box office. Grier’s career was largely damaged as a result of his decision to reject the project.
David Alan Grier declined to play a character in which Tom Hanks’ film?
David Alan Grier declined the opportunity to play in the movie Forrest Gump. Both critics and viewers praised and loved the film, which earned Tom Hanks a well-deserved Oscar win for the leading role.
The main character of the movie, Forrest Gump, had an IQ of 75 and leads an extraordinary existence. Gump was born in Alabama, and his single mother raised him. She taught him the value of never giving up on one’s aspirations. Forrest Gump had a good heart and always believed in the best in people. Additionally, Gump was always in the right spot at the perfect moment, which allowed him to have some incredible experiences and adventures.
Gump was brilliantly portrayed by Tom Hanks, who genuinely gave the role life with his distinctive running style and distinctive speaking style which breathed life into the character.
The part of Bubba was offered to Grier. Mykleti Williamson, a relatively unknown actor at the time in the industry, was cast as Bubba after Grier turned down the part. Bubba’s character was of great significance and contributed hugely to the movie’s plot.
David Alan Grier admitted to having screwed up
Early in the 1990s, David Alan Grier was a rising talent. He became well-known in the early ’90s thanks to his roles in the movie Boomerang and the beloved sketch comedy show In Living Color. Grier had to make a big choice despite his growing fame when he was given a great opportunity in the critically acclaimed movie Forrest Gump, starring Tom Hanks and directed by Robert Zemeckis. Grier stated in an interview with Busy Tonight in 2018 that he turned down the part because of worries about how the character would be portrayed.
He was worried that the role would be too minor and that he was going to be typecast as an actor who plays mentally impaired characters. Grier claimed that he had decided not to take part in this after reading 20 pages of the script. “I’m not going in on this. He’s talking about shrimp the whole damn movie” Grier had stated. Grier also acknowledged that he screwed up because the director offered him the part not just once or twice, but three times.
David Alan Grier’s career trajectory was significantly impacted by his rigid rejection. Grier was left wondering what might have been as Forrest Gump went on to become a huge box office hit and further cemented Tom Hanks’ status as a Hollywood legend. He admitted that he might have lost a fantastic opportunity.
Source: Looper
